Spain-bound Stubbs to keep eye on rivals

DAVID HARDIE

ALAN STUBBS is to embark on two spying missions before he takes his Hibs squad to the south of Spain for a week of “warm weather” training in preparation for their final bid for promotion to the Premiership.

Stubbs has been building detailed dossiers on all his team’s possible play-off opponents, dashing from Falkirk to watch Motherwell and Ross County –who both find their top-flight status under threat – in action. Tonight, he’ll be back at Fir Park to watch the Steelmen, current favourites to finish second bottom, as they face Kilmarnock, another side which is not yet out of danger. The Hibs head coach, who last night watched his club’s youngsters play Celtic in the semi-final of the SFA Youth Cup at Cappielow, will also travel to Palmerston Park tomorrow evening to take in the first leg of the play-off quarter-final between Queen of the South and Rangers.

Stubbs said: “I’ve seen Motherwell’s last two games personally and had further reports on them. At this moment, it’s looking like Motherwell will be in the Premiership’s play-off spot but that can change very quickly. Kilmarnock are still not out of it yet so tonight’s game presents the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.”

Stubbs, of course, is far more familiar with Queens and Rangers, Hibs having played those sides on numerous occasions already this season, but he’s determined to leave no stone unturned, adamant he can always learn something new about both of them and will head for Dumfries despite Hibs travelling to their sunshine base the following morning.